We Are Social appoints Jerome Courtial to boost strategy

Social media agency We Are Social has hired Jerome Courtial as its head of strategy.

Courtial joined We Are Social as freelance strategy director in November 2012. A spokeswoman for We Are Social said his full-time appointment was due to the impact he had made in just a few months with the agency.

In his new role, Courtial will oversee planning and strategy across all of We Are Social’s clients, specifically looking after Heinz, Expedia and Heineken. He will work with the six-strong strategy team, which is expected to grow further in the coming months.

Most recently, Courtial has worked in freelance planning director roles at agencies including R/GA, JWT and Sid Lee.

He has previously held positions as lead global planner at Wieden & Kennedy Amsterdam, and strategy director at Saint. He was selected as a Campaign ‘Face to Watch’ in 2007 in his role as engagement planner at BBH London.

Courtial also worked at Glue London as a digital planner from 2003 to 2006, where he led planning on Pot Noodle’s 'Hysterical Girlfriend' campaign, which won two Cannes gold lions.

Courtial said he planned to demonstrate the value of social media.

He said: "We Are Social has won clients from the rosters of creative, digital and PR agencies who haven’t adapted to the way that social media has changed the media consumption landscape.

"The attitude that social media offers fewer opportunities creatively and strategically is completely outdated – some of the most innovative campaigns are now executed on social platforms."

His role as strategy director has been filled by Jordan Stone, who has been promoted from senior account director.